The Benefits of a Spiritual Practice (Even if You're Not Religious) by Psychic Clare

In The Benefits of a Spiritual Practice (Part One) I discussed why I recommend yoga and other spiritual practices to my clients regardless of their particular reason for calling. I’ve described the benefits, including relaxation and stress relief, as well as the ability to find ultimate inner peace and happiness in the center of our being, no matter what’s happening around us.

Maybe you’re thinking, “But I’m not religious/spiritual.” Or maybe you just aren’t interested in learning a formal discipline like yoga or meditation. That’s ok—you can still obtain similar benefits by doing something that appeals to you personally.

An example would be gardening, which is very therapeutic. Getting your hands in the soil, planting the seeds, tending the plants, and enjoying the resulting flowers and/or vegetables. Others enjoy walking in the woods or a garden labyrinth, or on the beach, or surfing. This interaction with nature is spiritual in its own right. The important thing is to have some consistent activity, whatever it may be, that allows you to make time for yourself and your own thoughts, where the world does not intrude and you can enjoy your own company, undistracted, and cultivate that inner silence and bliss.

Often clients will feel guilty at first when they try to take this time for themselves! We (especially women) have been conditioned by society to feel that we must please everyone else and meet their demands, even if it requires neglecting ourselves. We’ve been taught that spending time alone doing meditation, yoga or our own personal ritual is a selfish indulgence, a luxury we can’t afford when others require our attention. Some people even take a sense of pride in the martyrdom of self-neglect.

Making time for our spiritual practice is not selfish. If you don’t nurture yourself, you’ll have nothing left to give to others. When you make a daily practice of tapping into that center of peace, love and joy within, you’ll be healthier and more effective in your efforts, in harmony with yourself and others

Now THAT benefits the people around you! And it’s my pleasure to help you learn how to do that.